Updated: 2025-07-24
Why A Records Matter
Every time a user enters a website name, connects to a shared folder, or joins a domain, a DNS query determines which IP address that name resolves to. In Windows Server environments—especially in Active Directory domains—A (Address) records are essential for mapping hostnames to IP addresses. They form the backbone of your internal name resolution, ensuring systems can communicate reliably across the network.
Step 1 — Open the DNS Manager
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Log in to your Windows Server with the DNS Server role installed.
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Open Server Manager → Tools → DNS.
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In the DNS Manager console, expand your server name to view Forward Lookup Zones (for normal hostname-to-IP lookups) and Reverse Lookup Zones (for IP-to-hostname lookups).
If your domain is justinmbrant.com, you’ll see a corresponding zone under Forward Lookup Zones. That’s where your A records will live.
Step 2 — Navigate to the Correct Zone
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Expand Forward Lookup Zones.
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Select the domain (for example,
justinmbrant.com). -
This displays all existing DNS records—such as your domain controllers, member servers, and other registered hosts.
If you’re working in a lab or nested environment, this is also where you’ll confirm your DC’s A record already exists (like dc1.justinmbrant.com → 192.168.1.10).
Step 3 — Create a New A Record
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Right-click on the zone name (e.g.,
justinmbrant.com) and choose New Host (A or AAAA). -
In the Name field, enter the hostname—for example,
srv1. -
In the IP address field, enter the corresponding IPv4 address—like
192.168.1.11. -
(Optional but recommended) Check Create associated pointer (PTR) record if you’ve already set up a Reverse Lookup Zone. This allows reverse DNS lookups.
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Click Add Host, and then Done when finished.
The new record will appear in the list immediately.
Step 4 — Verify Resolution
From any domain-joined system (or directly on the DNS server), open Command Prompt or PowerShell and run:
nslookup srv1.justinmbrant.com
If configured correctly, the server should respond with your newly created IP address.
Step 5 — (Optional) Automate with PowerShell
In larger environments—or if you’re building a lab with multiple hosts—it’s faster to script record creation. For example:
Add-DnsServerResourceRecordA -Name "srv1" `
-ZoneName "justinmbrant.com" -IPv4Address "192.168.1.11"
You can repeat this command for as many records as needed, or loop through a CSV file for bulk imports.
Step 6 — Test and Tune in a Lab
Creating and resolving DNS A records is an ideal hands-on exercise for testing name resolution and automation in a lab setup—especially within network simulators like EVE-NG. It lets you verify how your domain and application servers communicate, experiment with delegation, and fine-tune DNS alerts in monitoring tools like SolarWinds—all without touching production infrastructure.
Summary
Windows DNS is one of the most reliable and flexible name resolution platforms available, and mastering A records is foundational for both production and lab environments. Whether you’re mapping hosts for an internal domain, configuring application endpoints, or experimenting in EVE-NG, knowing how to create and manage A records ensures your network runs smoothly—and your tests stay predictable.